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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Twenty Four: The Workplace -- essence of a culture > Glassmakers (1), Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, 2009
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26-JUN-2009

Glassmakers (1), Museum of Glass, Tacoma, Washington, 2009

I found this shadow of a fist holding a glassblowing rod seemingly etched upon a golden table. It is a powerful workplace symbol of a complex and difficult art. A team of artglass makers provides live demonstrations whenever this museum is open.

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Phil Douglis18-Aug-2009 18:13
I was originally going to convert this image to black and white in order to intensify the degree of abstraction here, Chris, but I kept coming back to the golden light which seems to add a sense of value to the work at hand. I think it works best in color. And yes, my purpose here is to symbolize the art itself, and get the viewer to think about the skill, strength, and effort that goes into this kind of work.
Chris Sofopoulos18-Aug-2009 08:03
This golden light together with the shadow of the hand and tool create a fantastic abstract once again! You leave the vewer to think. Very good work Phil.
Phil Douglis04-Jul-2009 23:16
Context is everything, Carol. This is an abstract image, and the more abstract a photograph is, the greater role context plays in terms of meaning.
Carol E Sandgren04-Jul-2009 19:20
Ah, the power of shadows!! If we hadn't known this one was of a working glassmaker, we could just imagine a possible fate of the person standing next to the table, perhaps someone was getting ready to club him. Fisted hands always suggest to me a sense of danger. Very powerful image!
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